Man Charged With Hitting, Taking Bus

A 22-year-old Spokane man was in jail Saturday, charged with crashing into a school bus and stealing it from its driver the night before.

Police booked Tony T. Callihan, 22, into the Spokane County Jail on charges of first-degree robbery, hit and run and assaulting officers.

The bus driver, who was not identified, was stopped at the intersection of Perry Street and Empire Avenue about 8 p.m. when the bus was hit from behind by a 1987 Plymouth. There were no students on the bus.

When the driver got out of the bus, two men jumped out of the car and tried to push it away from the bus, said police spokesman Dick Cottam. The driver yelled at them to leave it alone until police arrived, and the car’s driver ran at him and threatened to kill him, Cottam said.

The bus driver ran and the car’s driver got into the bus and drove away, Cottam said.

Police spotted the bus a few minutes later on east Rich Avenue. The suspect was gone, but a police dog tracked him to an apartment in the 3500 block of east Broad.

Several witnesses saw the suspect run from the bus, which rolled a short distance down Rich before stopping, Cottam said.

Callihan was found hiding on the second floor, Cottam said. He fought several officers who were arresting him and tried to take one of their guns, Cottam said.

Police eventually handcuffed Callihan and had to use leg restraints when he tried to kick them, Cottam said. , DataTimes MEMO: Cut in Spokane edition